Grade 1 - Early world Civilizations

150 Early World Civilizations: Supplemental Guide 8A | Approaching the Great Pyramid

Presenting the Read-Aloud 15 minutes

Approaching the Great Pyramid

 Show image 8A-1: Setna and Ahweru on boat

Long ago, there was an Egyptian priest named Setna (SET-nuh).

He was in charge of one part of a giant temple to the gods in his

city. Setna had a daughter named Ahweru (ah-WARE-oo), whom he

loved very much.^1 When Ahweru was old enough, her father took

her on a boat trip down the Nile to a place called Giza (GHEE-zah)

so she could see the Great Pyramid there.^2

 Show image 8A-2: Isis and Horus

They journeyed^3 for many days as passengers on a large sailing

ship. During the voyage, Setna explained to his daughter what

the Great Pyramid was and why it had been built. He said, “We

Egyptians say that far to the west lies a place called ‘the beautiful

west.’ When someone dies, he or she has the chance to travel

there. If they arrive safely, their spirit will be happy forever, for the

good god Osiris (o-SY-ris) is king there and takes good care of

everyone. But the journey^4 to this peaceful place is dangerous

and hard to make, and not everyone who tries to get there reaches

it. So we pray to Osiris and to his wife, Isis (EYE-sis), and to their

son, the falcon-headed god Horus. If they wish to do so, these

three can help us reach the beautiful west with their powers, so we

must make very sure that they like us.”^5

“The god Osiris will even let us bring any treasure we have

with us when we go there: pretty artwork, fi ne clothes, jewelry,

or whatever we most enjoy in this life so that we may have an

enjoyable afterlife.”^6

 Show image 8A-3: Djoser in royal bed

“Well, many years ago, there was a pharaoh^7 named Djoser

(JOE-sir). One night, Djoser dreamed that one of the gods told him

to build a special place for Djoser’s family and servants to put his

1 What was the father’s name? What
was the daughter’s name? [Ask
students to repeat the names after
you as you point out the characters
in the illustration.]

2 A pyramid is a structure with
triangular sides.

5 Remember that the ancient
Egyptians had a polytheistic
religion. What does that mean?

7 or Egyptian ruler

3 or traveled

4 or trip

6 The afterlife is the next life after
death.